Juan Carlos Merodio Lopez

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Leaders in Law endorses Juan Carlos Merodio Lopez as our exclusively recommended Shipping Law expert in Mexico. If you wish to get in touch with Juan, please use the contact information provided above.

Juan Carlos Merodio is a lawyer, with a degree in finance from The Euromoney Institute in London, England, and completed his master’s degree in Law from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. His professional activity has been closely linked to consulting and legal representation and senior business management, especially in the transportation industry, telecommunications and infrastructure development, topics on which he is recognized nationally and internationally.

In 1991 he was the main partner and founder of the firm Merodio y Alfaro SC, currently called M&L Estudio Legal. For a period of three years, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of Grupo Iusacell SA de CV, under the administration of Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone, the two most important multinational telephone and telecommunications companies worldwide, with offices Main in New York and London, respectively. Previously, he held the position of CEO, member of the Executive Committee and member of the Board of Directors of Transportación Marítima Mexicana, SA de CV (GRUPO TMM) and its parent company Grupo Servia, SA

He has extensive experience in the placement of debt and equity instruments in international financial markets, having participated in operations that together represent more than 1.8 billion dollars. He has participated as a consultant to the Mexican Federal Government in the elaboration of different laws and regulations. He has acted as an international arbitrator in proceedings of the International Chamber of Commerce, based in Paris, France. He was legal advisor to the National Fund for Port Developments (FONDEPORT), a federal government trust for the development of ports and fishing industrial parks.

He has participated in the boards of directors of different companies: Cintra, Aeromexico, Mexicana, The Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association (London), Grupo TMM, Grupo TFM, Mexrail, Inc (USA). Grupo Iusacell SA de CV He has been a member and director of different business associations: Latin American Association of Mobile Telephony Operators-ALACEL (Vice President); National Chamber of the Maritime Transport Industry – CANAINTRAM (Vice President; Mexican Association of Ship Consignment Agents – AMANAC; Association of the Pacific Basin; American Bureau of Shipping; The Association of the Bar of the City of New York; and the Bar Mexicana-Bar Association, AC American Bureau of Shipping; The Association of the Bar of the City of New York; and the Mexican Bar-Colegio de Abogados, AC American Bureau of Shipping; The Association of the Bar of the City of New York; and the Mexican Bar-Colegio de Abogados, In matters of corporate reorganization, he is a category 1 specialist certified by the Federal Institute of Specialists in Commercial Insolvency and has been appointed as conciliator and trustee in important bankruptcy proceedings.

With more than 25 years of experience in the maritime sector, Mr. Merodio continue the representation of national and international clients in several maritime matters including, incorporation of shipping and agency corporations, ship-finance, leasing, registration and flagging, purchase-sale of vessels, maritime contracts and transactional work, insurance & reinsurance, P&I Clubs, arbitration, and litigation on dispute & casualties related with Mexico and Latin America. He is also frequently invited to collaborate in cases handled in other countries of Latin American, and to act as an advisor for many maritime law firms around the world.

Mr. Merodio is constantly invited to present speech and conferences in Mexico and Latin America on topics of his speciality.

Memberships

  • Titular Member of the Comité Maritimé International. (Antwerp, Belgium)

Academia

  • Member Iberoamerican Institute of Maritime Law.
  • Professor of Maritime Law at the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico (Casa de la Cultura Jurídica)
  • Professor of Maritime Law at the National Autonomous University of Mexico
  • Appointed at the Executive Committee of American Bureau of Shipping for the preservation of life and property at sea.
  • Member of The Association of Maritime Adjusters of the USA & Canada.
  •  Invited Lecturer at Lloyds of London.
  • Certificate Instructor by Germanischer Lloyd in Seminar of Fundamentals of Ship Financing and Acquisitions. .

National and International Recognitions /Awards

  • National Award “Dr. Raul Cervantes Ahumada” by the Ministry of Education for contribution to Maritime Law development.
  • Award “Dr. Jose Luis Rebollo” by the National Autonomous University for maritime law research.
  • Extraordinary Recognition “Dr. Rafael Preciado Hernandez” by the National Autonomous University for commitment in faculty education.
  • ACQ Global Award “Leading Shipping and Transport Lawyer Meixico-2016”
  • Winner “Advisory Excellence 2021 Shipping & Maritime” (London)

Professional

  • Senior-Partner and General Director of M&L Estudio Legal one of the leading Mexican law firms in transportation, international and commercial law, established in 1991 designated “ The Transportation Law Firm of the Year-Mexico”
  • Former CEO- General Director of Transportacion Marìtima Mexicana (TMM Group), at the time the largest multimodal transportation company in Latin America, with presence in 60 countries and with services in the shipping (liner, tanker, off-shore), rail, port and logistics business.
  • Former General Counsel of the TMM Group.
  • Former Counsel for the Governmental Fund for Port Development (FONDEPORT)
  • He has served as International Arbitration with the International Chamber of Commerce (Paris)

He has served as member of the Board of the following shipping entities

  • Director of The Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association-Pandi Club (Great Britain),
  • Director of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of TMM Group Mexico),
  • Director of the Board of Compañia Trasatlantica Española (Spain),
  • Director of the Board of Flota Gran Colombiana (Colombia).
  • He acted as Vice –Chairman of the Mexican Ship-owners Association. (CANAINTRAM)

Books and legal essays

  • Fundamentals of Marine Insurance. Mexico, 2017.
  • Introduction to Maritime Law. Mexico, 2015
  • Legal Nature and Organization f the PANDI Clubs. Venezuela, 2012
  • Fundamentals of Marine Insurance. Mexico,
  • Mexican Law Principles. México.2008

Firm Description:

M&L Estudio Legal is constantly referred by foreign firms to clients with interests and investments in Mexico and, likewise, we have correspondents in the cities of New York, London, Madrid, Bilbao, Barcelona, ​​Genoa, Tokyo, Bogotá, Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires.

Areas of Expertise

  • Infrastructure Projects
  • Energy
  • Communications and Transportation
  • Corporate
  • Financial and Stock Market
  • Real Estate
  • Maritime
  • Insurance and Reinsurance
  • Arbitration

 

Alberto Batini, PhD

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Leaders in Law endorses Alberto Batini as our exclusively recommended Shipping Law expert in Italy. If you wish to get in touch with Alberto please use the contact information provided above.

Alberto manages the firm’s London office, which was opened in the City in early 2014 to assist the London insurance market with its Italian exposure. He travels between London and Milan.

His main areas of expertise are shipping law, P&I assistance, hull and machinery work, ship arrest, arbitration and litigation, domestic and international transactional work, transport and logistics and marine cyber risks.

He speaks English and Spanish.

Professional experience

Alberto graduated in Law in 1990. In 1991-1992 he spent a long training period with the London firm Sinclair Roche & Temperley (now Stephenson Harwood) in their Admiralty and Litigation Department.

At the end of 1992 he moved to the Standard Steamship Owners P&I Club, Charles Taylor & Co in London, as claims handler in the Club’s Italian Syndicate.

In the same year, Alberto joined Batini & Associati as an equity partner, and later the firm Batini Traverso & Associati in Italy.

Academic background and memberships

Faculty of Law degree from Pisa University in 1990 with a final dissertation thesis on “The European Economic Interest group: an application to the shipping industry”.

Registered as a qualified lawyer at the Livorno Law Society on 21.10.1993.

Registered at the Milan Law Society on 21.10.2010.

Admitted as advocate at the Italian Supreme Court.

In 1993 Alberto obtained the “18th Maritime Law Degree” at the University of Southampton, Faculty of Law, Maritime Law Institute.

In 1995 he obtained a postgraduate doctorate (PhD) at the University of Trieste in shipping and transport law, submitting a thesis on “Towage contracts – public and private law profiles”.

In 1998 Alberto was appointed Vice President of the Ibero American Maritime Institute (IIDM), Italian Section, a position which he retained until a few years ago. He has been a permanent Member of the Steering Committee of the Italian Association of Maritime Law (AIDM) and a member of the working group on maritime liens and mortgages at the CMI Centenary Conference hosted in Antwerp in 1997, as well as in the CMI Plenary Sessions in Singapore in 2000 and in Vancouver in 2004.

Alberto has been International Professional Partner of IUMI (the International Union of Marine Insurers) since 1.1.2017, following an IUA proposal.

Alberto has also been recently appointed as Global Leader of the Marine Special Interest Group within the Global Insurance Law Connect international network (globalinsurancelaw.com), of which he is also the executive board member for Europe. He is a founding member of the International Yacht Lawyers Network (iyln.com) and a member of the Insurance Committee and of the Transport Committee of the IBA.

He is a regular panelist in international seminars and events on international, shipping and insurance law, and the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands for coastal Tuscany.

Publications

Alberto has written several articles and publications on international and shipping law, and has delivered several congress papers, including:

  • Il contratto a favore di terzo nel trasporto terrestre (Ipsoa), 1996
  • Lifting of arrest of foreign ships in Italy (Shiparrested.com, Marseille), June 2006
  • The hidden costs of Customs clearance of goods (Interlegal, Ukraine), September 2010
  • The broker’s role in negotiating and fixing charterparties (Novorossiysk), 2010
  • The Italian section of Shipping Law for the international legal magazine “Getting The Deal Through” until 2013
  • The P&I Club’s right of action against a Classification Society (Vincenzini Batini Insurance Events, London), November 2015
  • The Italian section of Enforcement of Foreign Judgements and Awards (Thomson Reuters) in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017

Firm Description:

The “Sisters” or the Sisters Olive Trees of Noah are a grove of sixteen olive trees in the Lebanese town of Bechealeh. Some 6,000 years old, they are probably the oldest olive trees in the world. According to common folklore and some Bible scholars, these are the trees from which the dove took the branch back to Noah when the deluge subsided.

In fact, these “trees of Noah” are considered by locals to be a living miracle, because they have managed to survive 6,000 years of climatic shifts, plagues, wars, diseases and changing civilizations.

The firm of Batini & Associates was established in 1960 by the founding partner Giuseppe Batini, who is still acting as of counsel. Some Partners left in 2009 to set up Batini Traverso & Associates.

Nowadays, the resulting firm of BTG Legal is an independent Italian law firm providing a full range of services to assist and advise Italian and multinational insurers and corporations, in different classes of business such as insurance and reinsurance, shipping, transportation and dispute resolution.

The firm now has over 30 experienced professionals spread over the main offices of Milan, Rome, Genoa, Leghorn, Ravenna, Naples and London, plus an extended network of local correspondents in the main Italian ports, and in the more important international business centres, with a special focus on the United States and the eastern countries of Russia and the Ukraine.

With its in-house skills and extended network of correspondents, the firm provides worldwide specialised legal services, including general liability, professional liability, medical malpractice, D&O, marine and related insurance, arbitration and litigation, sale and purchase of ships, real estate and commodities, shipbuilding, sales, purchase and building of pleasure yachts, taxation, international finance, property, environmental liability and alternative energies such as PV and solar, wind and geothermal.

On regulatory matters the firm provides assistance to domestic and overseas operators throughout the whole business chain (the authorization process, corporate governance, product development, distribution and special transactions).

In dispute resolution, the firm assists clients in handling complex and sizeable disputes in the pre-contentious phase and throughout all the various procedures, including mediation, ADR, arbitration and litigation (including before the Supreme Court).

The firm also gives advice and assistance on the establishment and management of limited liability companies, both in Italy and in many other European and non-European countries, as vehicles for local and international investments.

The firm participates in the international business market with a complete and flexible structure which has been developed over the years, always true to the vocation of a boutique firm which can provide a tailor-made and customised service to clients.

The international and educational experience of our partners and associates ensures creativity, rapid response and a clear understanding of our clients’ business objectives.

The touchstones of our professional service are thorough dedication to the highest standards of quality, a global responsiveness to the client’s needs, a cost-effective service and a pragmatic attitude in facing complex and cross-border matters.

A considerable amount of work is international in nature. We can assist clients within Italy and in other countries. We service our clients through our network of best friends in key jurisdictions – in particular, North America, North Africa, the European Union, Russia and Asia.

That is why we are the unique Member for Italy of the exclusive international legal network Global Insurance Law Connect (GILC).

* * *

We know that, for our clients, our understanding of the different legal systems and business cultures of these regions is a critical aspect of the advice we offer and the solutions we provide.

Our philosophy has always been focused on building and maintaining a long-term professional relationship with clients, founded on mutual trust and respect.

BTG Legal has expanded recently, recognising and adapting to the changing market. The increase in overseas and international clients and the need to respond to globalisation have resulted in many additional professionals joining the firm.

Most of our lawyers have obtained postgraduate degrees from leading universities in Italy and abroad, and have accumulated much overseas experience, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. The firm is able to provide assistance in other languages such as English, French, German and Spanish.

A notary is available for anything which must be publicly registered in Italy or England and Wales, including as to transfers of property, the formation of a business, and wills and other documents concerning inheritance.

Our policy is to be trustworthy and expert partners to business, recognising the vital role of integrity and endeavouring to satisfy our clients’ needs in the best way possible by:

  • the widest availability of all components of the firm (partners, associates and staff) who are reachable every day of the year, with the constant support of the appropriate structures to respond to the clients’ needs;
  • the use of modern technology (software and videoconference);
  • total confidentiality of the matters being undertaken and the information received during and also after the attorney-client relationship (such being protected also through strict rules governing access to files, both electronic and paper);
  • assistance beyond Italy by cooperating with firms and individuals in various regions of the world, always selected specifically for the matter being undertaken;
  • promptness in solving problems and quickness in scheduling meetings with clients;
  • a competitive billing structure and constant focus on client satisfaction.

 

Yoav Harris

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Leaders in Law endorses Yoav Harris as our exclusively recommended Shipping Law expert in Israel. If you wish to get in touch with Yoav please use the contact information provided above.

Adv. John Harris established the legal firm of Harris & Co. in 1977.  The firm is dedicated to the practice of Maritime and Admiralty Law including ship-arrests, charterparty disputes, cargo claims, sale and purchase of ships and the financing of ship purchases, arbitration and commercial litigation.  The firm receives “top tier” ratings from Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, Dun & Bradstreet and BdiCoface.

The firm receives instructions from the foremost shipping and maritime law departments of international law firms and keeps abreast of English and other jurisdictions’ maritime law judgments and publications.  In the non-litigation aspect of the practice the firm provides legal advice relating to the various contracts of carriage and attends to matters relating to the sale and purchase of ships and the financing of ship purchases.

The firm is the editor of the Israeli chapter for “Shipping” both at the shiparrested.com guide of “Shiparrest at Practice” and of Chambers and Partners, and of Legal 500 guides. The Firm is also the author of the Israeli chapter of ICLG to Shipping Law 2019

According to Chambers dictionary 2019 (Transport), the firm “hassignificant  litigious capabilities”, “operates professionally, efficiently and rapidly in order to achieve its client’s goals” and “[its partners] are timely, thorough and extremely pragmatic in their approach to complex legal issues”.

Adv. Yoav Harris contributes articles to the Israeli monthly magazine “The Cargo”; Additional articles of Adv. Harris relating to International and Maritime Law were published, by way of introductory – in The Marker magazine “British settlement-can it be”? issue 15 of Shiparrested.com “The Naval Prize Court”; issue 23 “Against the Ship” or “Rooted in Personal liability” The Maritime Lien Vs. The Owners”;

Yoav’s articles regarding the Haifa Maritime Court’s authority to act as a Prize Court, were cited both by the Maritime Court and the Supreme Court (Civil Appeal 7307/14) when deciding on the matter of M/V Estelle.

 

Jeremy Mark Joseph

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Jeremy M. Joseph is the principal partner and founder of Joseph & Partners, which is now one of the premier maritime law firms Malaysia has to offer. He has a Master’s degree in maritime law from the University of Southampton and a recipient of the Chevening Scholarship from the British High Commission.

Originally a marine insurance broker, Jeremy has knowledge of the shipping and insurance industry. His first position in law was at the Singapore office of Holman Fenwick & Willan where he worked as an associate for several years until he set up Messrs Joseph & Partners in Kuala Lumpur. His firm has been consistently ranked in the top category every year since 2010 as a leading Malaysian shipping law firm by international law publications, Legal 500 and Chambers Asia. Recently, the firm won the prestigious “ALB 2014 Malaysia Law Awards” for Shipping Law Firm of the Year, hosted by Asian Legal Business and Thomson Reuters.

Jeremy regularly works as counsel and co-counsel in various shipping, insurance and maritime arbitration matters. Some of these cases have become important legal precedents in the Malaysian shipping scene.

Jeremy currently advises all sorts of companies and organizations from ship-owners and P & I Clubs, to insurers, banks, ship yards, charterers, and a variety of other commercial establishments.

In addition, he has authored numerous articles that have been subsequently published in the Malayan Law Journal and other international publications like “Getting the Deal Through” and “The Shipping Law Review.” He has also written the Shipping, Insurance and Carriers volumes of Halsbury’s Laws of Malaysia and the Lexis Nexis Malaysian Encyclopedia of Forms and Precedents for Marine Insurance.

He was the former Chairman of the Shipping & Admiralty Committee for the Malaysian Bar and has previously served in the Admiralty Court and Maritime Law Taskforce initiated by the Malaysian Judiciary.

Shipping Law Practice:

Joseph & Partners’ shipping law practice provides legal services to the shipping and maritime industry.

We are specialists in all aspects of shipping law and are a trusted shipping legal firm used by companies not just in Malaysia but internationally. We provide clear, comprehensive advice on all aspects of shipping law, including marine casualties, admiralty disputes, ship finance, day-to-day commercial disputes arising under shipping contracts, bills of lading as well as shipbuilding contracts.

Our shipping law practice provides commercially minded advice that centres on the needs of our clients and their businesses. Our shipping legal services also includes advice on: towage, salvage and pilotage, marine safety and pollution, collision, fire, grounding, withdrawals, cancellations and wrongful terminations.

In addition to these services, we also provide advice on arrest of ships and releases from arrest, methods of obtaining security or evidence, freight, hire, demurrage and other sums due under charter parties, shipbuilding, ship sale agreements, agency and freight forwarding matters, freezing injunctions, enforcement of foreign judgements and arbitration awards, ports, harbours and related services and ship and asset financing.

Whatever your shipping law requirements, Joseph & Partners are here to help

Joseph & Partners:

Joseph & Partners is one of the leading law firms in Malaysia.

We have over 25 years combined experience of providing legal advice and law services for a variety of commercial and corporate legal matters. We are the leading specialists in shipping law in Malaysia and have also built up a reputation for expertise in marine offshore law. We have been providing corporate legal advice on all aspects of Malaysian shipping law, including cargo claims, admiralty processes, marine casualties, arbitration, energy related contracts and transactions and insurance disputes.

Malaysia has a thriving shipping and offshore energy industry, but it is not just shipping companies that need maritime legal advice and counsel on marine offshore legal matters. Many companies turn to Joseph & Partners to take advantage of our industry experience. In addition to shipping legal services and marine offshore advice, we provide all aspects of law services including property, insurance, commercial legal matters and other corporate legal advice. Our mission, as laid out by our principle partner, Jeremy M. Joseph, is to provide top quality specialist legal services that achieve excellent results for our clients and as leaders in our field, we build strong and lasting relationships with people in the business.

Benedict Oregbemhe

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Leaders in Law endorses Benedict Oregbemhe as our exclusively recommended Maritime Law and Shipping Law expert in Nigeria. If you wish to get in touch with Benedict please use the contact information provided above.

Benfield Attorneys and Solicitors (BAS) is a leading Corporate and Commercial Law firm based in Nigeria with offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Benin City. Since established in 2016, it has been at the forefront of developments in commercial and corporate practice in Nigeria and has continuously rendered sound technical advice and tailored customer solutions to its local and international partners. To our clients, BAS is a reliable partner and trusted counsel in various transactions and dispute resolution processes. We see our duty to our client as that of not just providing excellent technical advice, but also providing solutions that address and enhance a client’s purpose and business objective.

Over the years, BAS has garnered an impressive track record of providing first class specialised services in the areas of Maritime, Commercial Dispute Resolution and Arbitration, Oil and Gas, Aviation, Intellectual Property, Energy and Natural Resources, Company Secretarial Services, Real Estate, Probate and Succession, Banking, Finance and Insurance, Immigration, Debt Recovery, regulatory compliance, etc. Our successes in providing solutions have been a source of satisfaction and pride to clients and have been positively acknowledged by counter parties.

To ensure that excellent legal services are delivered to every client at every time, BAS is staffed with diversely skilled, well trained and experienced team members. As a corporate citizen, BAS is committed to being socially responsible by making sustainable and impactful investments into the legal industry and the overall Nigerian society.

At BAS, we are continuously striving to raise the standard of legal practice in Nigeria and remaining a dependable and responsible corporate partner is the central goal for every effort.

San San Peh

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San San Peh is the Head of Shipping Services in the Singapore office of Mayer Brown. She has extensive experience advising commercial lenders on the financing of various cross-border shipping projects. She advises banks and other financial institutions on financing structures, prepares cross-border bilateral and syndicated credit facility documentation and reviews shipbuilding contracts, refund guarantees, employment and service contracts. She has acted for shipowners in financing transactions for acquisition of newbuilding’s, refinancing of existing vessels and has also advised bidding consortiums in relation to the tendering, acquisition and long-term chartering of newbuilding vessels for LNG projects. San San has more than 10 years of experience in the banking industry. She speaks English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Firm Overview:

Mayer Brown has been advising our clients on Singapore-related matters from our other Asian offices for many years. With an expanding portfolio of work across the Asia Pacific region, Singapore is an important financial centre and legal marketplace. Our Singapore office was established in direct response to strong client demand and focuses on the practice areas of asset finance; bank lending; international arbitration; international trade; M&A and private equity; projects; tax and trade finance.

Gautam Bhatikar

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Gautam has broad ranging maritime, off-shore and shipping (dry & wet) practice representing clients in complex, high value, mutli-jurisdictional disputes. Gautam has also been advising ship owners, P&I clubs, ship builders, cargo owners etc.  Being known as the most “responsive” lawyer in the sector, Gautam also represents private operators in ports, primarily focussing on the PPP model in development of infrastructre in ports including tender and concession disputes.

Gautam’s clients also include leading corporates and banks as well as industrial organizations. He is particularly recognised for his shipping and maritime expertise for handling admiralty disputes across Indian coastline. Gautam actively advises domestic and international clients on commercial disputes before various courts in India and arbitral tribunals both domestically and internationally. He regularly represents clients at International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), London Court of International Arbitrators (LCIA), London Maritime Arbitation Association (LMAA), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitartion (SCMA).

Gautam is a partner with ALMT Legal since 2009.  At ALMT, Gautam heads the Shipping and Maritime, Insurance and Oil & Gas practice. Whether he is advising clients on commercial law or actively defending them before various legal fora, Gautam endeavours to provide practical and commercial approach to overcome the often complex commercial, regulatory, legal and technical issues associated with doing business in India.

Gautam regularly speaks at International conferences and enjoys speaking on the shipping sector and development of infrastructure of ports.  Given his in-depth knowledge and strong network in the industry, Gautam is highly recommended in this sector.

Gautam’s professional highlights include: 

– Representing a giant Indian multinational conglomerate in an admiralty action in Turkey with arbitration in London (LMAA) against a Korean ship owner.

– Representing one of the world’s largest shipping company, in its joint venture dispute with another Indian company with Arbitration (SIAC) in Singapore.

– Advised P&I Club and the owners on a multi jurisdictional dispute with crew member in relation to an accident on board an Italian vessel.

– Acted for insurance companies in relation to claims under diverse policies.

– Advising rig owner/operators in their disputes with an Indian oil and gas corporation in contractual disputes on exploration

– Advised an Australian corporate in ralation to a dispute on bill of lading with an Indian cargo interest and  Chinese owners.

Professional appointments and activities

– Member – Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration

– Member – International Bar Association

– Board Member -Indo African Chamber of commerce & Industries

– Member – Indo Arab Chamber of Commerce & Inductries

– Member – American Bar Association

– Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa

– The Law Society (England & Wales)

 

Jeremy M. Joseph

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Jeremy M. Joseph is the principal partner and founder of Joseph & Partners, which is now one of the premier maritime law firms Malaysia has to offer. He has a Master’s degree in maritime law from the University of Southampton and a recipient of the Chevening Scholarship from the British High Commission.

Originally a marine insurance broker, Jeremy has knowledge of the shipping and insurance industry. His first position in law was at the Singapore office of Holman Fenwick & Willan where he worked as an associate for several years until he set up Messrs Joseph & Partners in Kuala Lumpur. His firm has been consistently ranked in the top category every year since 2010 as a leading Malaysian shipping law firm by international law publications, Legal 500 and Chambers Asia. Recently, the firm won the prestigious “ALB 2014 Malaysia Law Awards” for Shipping Law Firm of the Year, hosted by Asian Legal Business and Thomson Reuters.

Jeremy regularly works as counsel and co-counsel in various shipping, insurance and maritime arbitration matters. Some of these cases have become important legal precedents in the Malaysian shipping scene.

Jeremy currently advises all sorts of companies and organizations from ship-owners and P & I Clubs, to insurers, banks, ship yards, charterers, and a variety of other commercial establishments.

In addition, he has authored numerous articles that have been subsequently published in the Malayan Law Journal and other international publications like “Getting the Deal Through” and “The Shipping Law Review.” He has also written the Shipping, Insurance and Carriers volumes of Halsbury’s Laws of Malaysia and the Lexis Nexis Malaysian Encyclopedia of Forms and Precedents for Marine Insurance.

He was the former Chairman of the Shipping & Admiralty Committee for the Malaysian Bar and has previously served in the Admiralty Court and Maritime Law Taskforce initiated by the Malaysian Judiciary.

Joseph & Partners:

Joseph & Partners is one of the leading law firms in Malaysia.

We have over 25 years combined experience of providing legal advice and law services for a variety of commercial and corporate legal matters. We are the leading specialists in shipping law in Malaysia and have also built up a reputation for expertise in marine offshore law. We have been providing corporate legal advice on all aspects of Malaysian shipping law, including cargo claims, admiralty processes, marine casualties, arbitration, energy related contracts and transactions and insurance disputes.

Malaysia has a thriving shipping and offshore energy industry, but it is not just shipping companies that need maritime legal advice and counsel on marine offshore legal matters. Many companies turn to Joseph & Partners to take advantage of our industry experience. In addition to shipping legal services and marine offshore advice, we provide all aspects of law services including property, insurance, commercial legal matters and other corporate legal advice. Our mission, as laid out by our principle partner, Jeremy M. Joseph, is to provide top quality specialist legal services that achieve excellent results for our clients and as leaders in our field, we build strong and lasting relationships with people in the business.

 

Alan Dickson

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Leaders in Law endorses Alan Dickson as our exclusively recommended Shipping Law expert in Singapore. If you wish to get in touch with Alan please use the contact information provided above.

Alan Dickson is Director and Head of the Singapore office of Conyers Dill & Pearman. Alan joined Conyers in 2000.

Alan’s practice includes many areas of corporate and commercial law, with particular experience in securities law, private equity, investment funds and mergers and acquisitions. Alan also advises public and private companies in a wide range of financings and restructurings.

Education

  • Dalhousie University, Canada, LLB, 1983
  • Mount Allison University, Canada B.A. (Hons. Economics), 1980

Bar Admissions

  • Bermuda
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, Canada
  • England & Wales (not currently practising)

Industry Accolades

  • Recognised for leading work in Latin America, Latin Lawyer 250 2012
  • Recognised leading corporate finance lawyer, Chambers Global 2002

Conyers Dill & Pearman:

Founded in 1928, Conyers Dill & Pearman is an international law firm advising on the laws of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Mauritius. With a global network that includes 140 lawyers spanning eight offices worldwide, Conyers provides responsive, sophisticated, solution-driven legal advice to clients seeking specialised expertise on corporate and commercial, litigation, restructuring and insolvency, and trust and private client matters. Conyers is affiliated with the Codan group of companies, which provide a range of trust, corporate secretarial, accounting and management services.

 

Tomás Manzanares

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Tomás Manuel Ávila Manzanares is a graduate of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of the University of Panama. He has postgraduate studies in Public Law and a Masters Degree in Commercial law.

Tomás was admitted in 1991 and has extensive experience in shipping law and his practice of more than 20 years involves a broad range of ship finance and ship registration work, all cases being cross-border transactions. His work has been praised by his clients and peers, as commentated in Chambers’ Global Guide to Leading Lawyers and The Legal 500.

Tomás served as president of the Panama Maritime Law Association from 2004 to 2008 and is currently chairing the Organizing Committee of the Panama Maritime World Conference & Exhibition.

He is “very dedicated to shipping” according to peers. Sources highlight his proactive approach and work ethic.” – Chambers Latin America 2013.

AVILA & CO:

AVILA & CO. is a Panamanian law firm incorporated in 2009 to serve from Panama the international maritime industry and financiers. We have been conceived as a ‘boutique firm’, meaning we cater to clientele on a special field of the law. Notwithstanding the novelty of the law firm, its founders, management and staff are well experienced in the field, as recognized and commended by international editorials and publications, such as Chambers’ Global Guide to Leading Lawyers, Chambers’ Global Latin America Leading Lawyers and Legal 500.

Our firm provides comprehensive advice to shipowners, vessel operators, charterers, ship agents, ship registration consultants, financial institutions, insurers, underwriters and brokers in contentious and non-contentious issues. Our clientele may rely on our experience in cross-border transactions to obtain a quick response from our firm and assistance around the clock, as required in the shipping industry.

AVILA & CO. assists its clients in ship registration affairs under the Panama flag, which includes the obtainment of all navigation licenses and technical certificates, as well as any other documents which must be obtained through the offices of the Merchant Marine General Directorate of the Panama Maritime Authority for the safe operation of a vessel.

We also provide advice on the purchase and sale of vessels, as well as on ship finance, including registration of ship mortgages, execution of pledges and other securities on behalf of the Borrowers and the Finance Providers.

AVILA & CO. may also set-up special purpose corporations for shipowners and ship financers alike and provide you with all the related services, such as incorporation of companies in Panama and other jurisdictions, registration of minutes, modification, merger, dissolution and redomiciliation of corporations.

So, if your business requires assistance from Panama that is committed to providing you personal support, answers and results, then we are clearly your choice.